Huawei P40 Lite review: autonomy is the real plus

Huawei P40 Lite it was my first smartphone without Google Apps. A decidedly unusual experience but that did not stop me from appreciating the numerous qualities of this mid-range. Why yes, aside from the absence of Big G services, it remains a well-built smartphone, equipped with four cameras and surprising autonomy. As always, however, let’s go into this step by step review.

The elephant in the room

Let’s face the elephant in the room right away: the operating system is anyway based on Android 10 but there are no Google Apps. This means no YouTube, Google Drive, Gmail and companions. I would lie to you if I said this is not a limit. Clearly it is but not necessarily for everyone.

If you are already deeply committed to Big G’s services then adapting won’t be easy. If, on the other hand, you don’t have great emotional ties with Google, it won’t take long to juggle the apps and tools that Huawei makes available to you. AppGallery – the official store of the Chinese company – is enriched every day with new features, while the search engine FindApp allows you to find all the other software you need on the Amazon App Store and ApkPure.

The absence of Google Apps then brings with it two undeniable advantages: speed and autonomy. Free from constraints and powered by the Kirin 810 processor and 6 GB of RAM, the smartphone is truly a splinter, capable of withstanding any workload and letting you play even the most demanding titles.

Autonomy also benefits from the lack of Google services. The 4200 mAh battery in fact allows you to practically cover two days. Do you think that, with a fairly standard use, I arrived at 21.00 with the remaining 60%. A really good result!

Huawei P40 Lite review: solid and youthful

For traditionalists there is coloring Midnight Black, for everyone else – those who want to stand out and focus on originality there are variants Crush Green and Sakura Pink.

The color, however, is only a small nuance, a plus that adds to theexcellent build quality of this device. Sure, the body is made entirely of plastic and it’s impossible not to notice, but there are no creaking or sagging whatsoever. Huawei P40 Lite is solid, adopts the 18: 9 format and on the back houses a square module dedicated to its four rear cameras.

On the front instead we have a generous 6.4-inch display, an IPS with Full HD + resolution and a small hole located at the top left. The yield is convincing with a good color calibration and a brightness that allows you to use it without problems even in direct sunlight.

I particularly liked it too the lateral fingerprint sensor, a solution that, to date, I continue to prefer. The reason? It’s always in the right place at the right time, plus it’s extremely fast.

Finally, I would also like to say two words for size and weight. 183 grams – considering the 200 grams we have been getting used to lately – are a really good result and the dimensions, although generous, do not compromise use with one hand, at least in most occasions.

Space, audio and connectivity

We have available 128 GB of internal memory, expandable via NM card. This means you really have space to spare, perfect for both storing all the apps you need and for storing music and videos.

The audio on the other hand is mono, with the speaker located at the bottom of the device. The quality is average but the volume is really much more. If, on the other hand, you are a fan of headphones, know that there is a 3.5 mm jack at your disposal, so you can also use those equipped with a cable. Among other things, a pair of earphones are already included in the package.

Finally, let’s talk about connectivity. In addition to the Type-C connector, we have Wi-Fi ac, with support for the two bands – the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz -, Bluetooth 5.0 and even NFC. Too bad that, to date, it is not possible to use it for digital payments. In fact, Google Pay cannot be exploited and Huawei has not yet brought its service, Huawei Pay, to Italy.

Do you really need four cameras?

As anticipated, the Huawei P40 Lite has well 4 rear sensors: the main one, from 48 megapixels, an 8 megapixel ultra-wide angle, a 2 megapixel macro sensor and one dedicated to depth, also 2 megapixel.

How do they behave in the field? The 48 MP camera gave us a lot of satisfaction: the quality is really good, the colors are well balanced, the HDR is never excessive and a lot of details are preserved. All this in good lighting conditions, while in the dark the results are less exciting.

The wide-angle camera on the other hand delivers a nice glance and produces shots with minimal distortion, but don’t expect exaggeratedly high quality.

Finally we have the 2 megapixel sensors which are actually not particularly useful. The macros are not convincing except with a lot of light available and the sensor dedicated to the depth of field is not of vital importance.

Finally we come to the 16 megapixel front camera, which allows you to capture absolutely discreet selfiesand the videos, which are not too exciting: they lack detail and stabilization is poor.

Huawei P40 Lite review: buy it or not?

TO 299 euros – with the Freebuds 3 as a gift until March 26 – it really is a temptation. Huawei P40 Lite in fact comes with a beautiful design, a very high build quality and convincing performance. Of course, the final decision depends a lot on your needs and habits. If, as I explained at the beginning, you do not have close relationships with the Google ecosystem, it is undoubtedly an excellent choice.On the contrary, if you are tied to the Mountain View giant, you will struggle to change habits. Know that, however, it is possible. A little adaptability and a small dose of patience are all it takes.

Huawei P40 Lite

Pro

• Original design
• Excellent build quality
• Incredible autonomy
• Convincing performance

Against

• Two cameras are of little use
• Not suitable for everyone